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Ka'bah: Difference between revisions
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[[File:Kaaba-flood-1941 1.jpg|right|220px|thumb|The Ka'aba was flooded by 5 feet of water in 1941. (''[[Standing_Mosques#1941_Flood_in_Mecca|more pictures]]'')]] | [[File:Kaaba-flood-1941 1.jpg|right|220px|thumb|The Ka'aba was flooded by 5 feet of water in 1941. (''[[Standing_Mosques#1941_Flood_in_Mecca|more pictures]]'')]] | ||
'''The Ka'aba''' (الكعبة, lit. "the Cube") is the holiest mosque in [[Islam]] located in [[Mecca]] ([[Muhammad]]'s city of birth) and is figuratively known as the "House of God" (or ''Bayt Allah'', lit. "House of Allah"). Another name for the Ka'aba is ''Masjid al-Haram'', which means "Mosque of the sanctuary", where "the sanctuary" is the name for the part of the city of Mecca that is considered sanctified. | '''The Ka'aba''' (الكعبة, lit. "the Cube") is the holiest mosque in [[Islam]] located in [[Mecca]] ([[Muhammad]]'s city of birth) and is figuratively known as the "House of God" (or ''Bayt Allah'', lit. "House of Allah"). Another name for the Ka'aba is ''Masjid al-Haram'', which means "Mosque of the sanctuary", where "the sanctuary" is the name for the part of the city of Mecca that is considered sanctified. | ||
== Origins and ritual significance == | ==Origins and ritual significance== | ||
Prior to Muhammad claiming to receive [[revelations]] from [[Allah]], the Ka'aba served as a popular [[Pagan Origins of Islam|pagan shrine]] that housed 360 idols and images of mostly pagan deities and attracted pilgrims and trade from many parts of Arabia. Particularly emphasized at this shrine during Muhammad's pre-Islamic years was the worship of the pagan Arab god [[Hubal]], often symbolically affiliated with the [[Crescent Moon|crescent moon]] symbol. | Prior to Muhammad claiming to receive [[revelations]] from [[Allah]], the Ka'aba served as a popular [[Pagan Origins of Islam|pagan shrine]] that housed 360 idols and images of mostly pagan deities and attracted pilgrims and trade from many parts of Arabia. Particularly emphasized at this shrine during Muhammad's pre-Islamic years was the worship of the pagan Arab god [[Hubal]], often symbolically affiliated with the [[Crescent Moon|crescent moon]] symbol. | ||
Islamic scriptures teach that [[Ibrahim|Abraham]] (Ibrahim) built the Ka'aba with Ishmael around the time he "binded" Ishmael (a legend inspired by, though slightly different from, the Binding of Isaac). | Islamic scriptures teach that [[Ibrahim|Abraham]] (Ibrahim) built the Ka'aba with Ishmael around the time he "binded" Ishmael (a legend inspired by, though slightly different from, the Binding of Isaac). | ||
=== ''Qibla'', or direction of prayer === | ===''Qibla'', or direction of prayer=== | ||
Muslims worldwide face the Ka'aba in Mecca five times a day to preform their daily prayers (another of the Five Pillars of Islam). In this capacity, as the direction of prayer, the Ka'aba is referred to as the ''Qibla''. While it is taught by orthodox Islam that the Qibla changed during Muhammad's lifetime from Jerusalem to the Ka'aba, some recent critical scholarship has suggested that early Muslims after [[Muhammad's Death|Muhammad's death]] used to face the city of Petra for several decades. While critical research on the history of the Qibla has not yet proven entirely conclusive or achieved universal acceptance amongst scholars, these findings do cast a good deal of doubt on the orthodox belief in the finalization of the Qibla at the Ka'aba in Mecca during Muhammad's lifetime. | Muslims worldwide face the Ka'aba in Mecca five times a day to preform their [[Salah|daily prayers]] (another of the Five Pillars of Islam). In this capacity, as the direction of prayer, the Ka'aba is referred to as the ''Qibla''. While it is taught by orthodox Islam that the Qibla changed during Muhammad's lifetime from Jerusalem to the Ka'aba, some recent critical scholarship has suggested that early Muslims after [[Muhammad's Death|Muhammad's death]] used to face the city of Petra for several decades. While critical research on the history of the Qibla has not yet proven entirely conclusive or achieved universal acceptance amongst scholars, these findings do cast a good deal of doubt on the orthodox belief in the finalization of the Qibla at the Ka'aba in Mecca during Muhammad's lifetime. | ||
=== Hajj === | ===Hajj=== | ||
{{Main|Hajj|l1=Hajj}}Today, as with many Arabs during the pre-Islamic period, Muslims travel to the Ka'aba to perform the [[Hajj]] ceremony (which reflects in great detail the pilgrimage rituals of the pre-Islamic Arabs) at least once during their lifetime if they are financially and physically able.The Hajj is one of Islam's [[Five Pillars]] and has its rituals outlined in some detail in the Qur'an. | {{Main|Hajj|l1=Hajj}}Today, as with many Arabs during the pre-Islamic period, Muslims travel to the Ka'aba to perform the [[Hajj]] ceremony (which reflects in great detail the pilgrimage rituals of the pre-Islamic Arabs) at least once during their lifetime if they are financially and physically able.The Hajj is one of Islam's [[Five Pillars]] and has its rituals outlined in some detail in the Qur'an. | ||
=== Black stone === | ===Black stone=== | ||
{{Main|Black stone|l1=Black stone}}Housed in the eastern corner of the Ka'aba's walls is the [[black stone]], which is known to have been a sacred baetyl revered by the pre-Islamic Arabs. Islamic scriptures teach that the stone fell from heaven and was once completely white, only to be lost during Noah's flood and blackened by the sins of mankind. This stone is then said to have been provided back to [[Ibrahim]] by [[Gabriel]] as Ibrahim was constructing the Ka'aba | {{Main|Black stone|l1=Black stone}}Housed in the eastern corner of the Ka'aba's walls is the [[black stone]], which is known to have been a sacred baetyl revered by the pre-Islamic Arabs. Islamic scriptures teach that the stone fell from heaven and was once completely white, only to be lost during Noah's flood and blackened by the sins of mankind. This stone is then said to have been provided back to [[Ibrahim]] by [[Gabriel]] as Ibrahim was constructing the Ka'aba | ||
== Structural history == | ==Structural history== | ||
Islamic scriptures state that the original Ka'aba built by Abraham was rather more rectangular than cubic, but that due to reconstruction the Ka'aba had lost its original dimensions. The story recorded suggests that the Ka'aba, when Muhammad was growing up, used to be rectangular in shape but that a natural disaster decimated the structure such that it had to be rebuilt. The [[Quraysh]], revering this structure, are said to have lacked sufficient "clean money" (that is, money untainted by sinful business, such as gambling and prostitution), and thus were only able to rebuild the temple in the shape of a cube. It is thus suggested that the short, semi-circular wall opposite the Iraqi (northwestern) wall of the Ka'aba delineates the portion of earth which in fact, counts as a part of the Ka'aba itself, despite its falling beyond the Ka'aba's walls. Consequently, pilgrims circumambulating the Ka'aba are able to earn the blessing of having "entered it" without having to step inside. | Islamic scriptures state that the original Ka'aba built by Abraham was rather more rectangular than cubic, but that due to reconstruction the Ka'aba had lost its original dimensions. The story recorded suggests that the Ka'aba, when Muhammad was growing up, used to be rectangular in shape but that a natural disaster decimated the structure such that it had to be rebuilt. The [[Quraysh]], revering this structure, are said to have lacked sufficient "clean money" (that is, money untainted by sinful business, such as gambling and prostitution), and thus were only able to rebuild the temple in the shape of a cube. It is thus suggested that the short, semi-circular wall opposite the Iraqi (northwestern) wall of the Ka'aba delineates the portion of earth which in fact, counts as a part of the Ka'aba itself, despite its falling beyond the Ka'aba's walls. Consequently, pilgrims circumambulating the Ka'aba are able to earn the blessing of having "entered it" without having to step inside. | ||
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[{{Quran-url-only|53|19}}] | [{{Quran-url-only|53|19}}] | ||
== Relevant quotations == | ==Relevant quotations== | ||
=== Qur'an === | ===Qur'an=== | ||
The following verses describe the origins of the Ka'aba | The following verses describe the origins of the Ka'aba | ||